KGPdesign studio

DC’s streetcar extension will complete the connection from Union Station to Benning Road Metro. The project will connect Wards 5 and 7 facilitating all modes of travel through the corridor linking neighborhoods by expanding the streetcar service and improving safety. Key elements of the project include bridge and roadway rehabilitation and replacement, pedestrian and bicyclist safety enhancements, safety and streetscape improvements, interchange modifications at DC-295/Benning Rd ramp, streetcar new stops, and the end of line stop at Benning Rd Metro Station.

KGP as the architect and urban designer has three specific roles in the project:
First, ensure the streetcar stops are designed for the most important part of transit – the movement of people. The stops must have clear wayfinding and easy access, comfortable places to wait with shelters, benches, good lighting, and clear site lines for safety and ease of movement. The platforms must be ADA compliant including proper queuing space to enter and exit the streetcar. The platform edge must be visible and meet code requirements for safety. Second, upgrade bridge aesthetics and improve safety for the streetcar, pedestrians, and bicycles. This includes pavement, lighting, guard and handrails, site lines, and wayfinding. Third, designing a comfort area for streetcar drivers in combination with the Traction Power Substation, and creating an enclosure for the combined buildings and other facilities that is functional and blends into the surrounding community using local materials, colors, and landscaping.

The last stop, at Benning Road Metro, has been the most complicated station due to the conflicting priorities of the stakeholders. Metro’s entrance is on this site and has underground structures which complicate the station layout options. A Traction Power Substation for streetcars is located on this site as well as a required rest area for train drivers. Additional space is necessary to store one or two trains at the end of the line. Space needs to be allocated for access by new multimodal transportation elements and areas for their safe storage. Everyone must remember, that transit is about moving people; that needs to remain the priority.